US1356090A - Train-operated crossing-signal - Google Patents

Description

TRAIN OPERATED CROSSING SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED JULY HD1970.

Patented Oct. 19, 1921i.

2 $HEEISSHEE 2- UNITED STATES GEORGE L. SAWYER, or roar MYERS, FLORIDA.

BRAIN-OPERATED CROSSING-SIGNAL.

Application filed July 17, 1920. Serial No. 396,981.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonen L. SAWYER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort Myers, in the county of Lee and State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Train-Operated Crossing-Signals, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to crossing signals, and particularly to that particular variety of crossing signal wherein a target or semaphore is disposed at the crossing, which target or semaphore is automatically lowered upon the approach of a train to a danger position and raised when the train has passed the crossing. V p

The general object of my invention is to provide a very simple, safe, and readily operated mechanism of th1s character wherelnv the semaphore is held in its raised position by a latch, which latch is released 'upon the approach of a train in either direction toward the crossing,'the signal then falling under its own weightto its danger indicat-' ing posltion and wherein the tram, after-the locomotive has passed the'crossing, lifts the signal to its safety position, whereupon the signal is again engaged by the latch and held raised. H i

A further object is to-provide a mechanism of this kind which is very simple, which may be easily put in place, and which will not be liable to get out of order.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the panying drawings, wherein p Figure 1 is a plan view of a railroad crossing showing my signal applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view across the track transversely of the rails,

showing the signal actuating arm;.

, Fig. 3 1s a fragmentary plan view showing the member on the pilotof thelocomo tive for engaging the signal actuating arm; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the signal semaphore or gatein its lowered-position;

Fig. 5 is a like view to Fig. 4:, but showing the supports in section and showing the bolt mechanism for holding the semaphore raised. 1

Referring to these drawings, A designates a railway track laid on the usual tiesand comprising the rails aa. Disposedbeside the track and adjacent the crossing is a supaccom- Specification of Letters Patent. Patent 51001;, 19, 1920,

porting post 10 having pivoted to it the semaphore or signal arm 11, this arm ex tending beyond its pivotal point12,'as at 13, and thisextension operating-between guides 14:. The weight of this arm 11 normally urges it to a horizontal or danger indicating position. Disposed at the lower end of the guides 14: is a bolt or latch 15, the extremity of which is preferably beveled, this latch being disposed in a housing 16 and being urged upward by a spring-17 so as to engage over the beveled extremity .18 of the extension 13 and normallyhold the danger signal in a raised position. This danger signal 11 maybe disposed at any desired height from the ground and may either act as a simple signal or to impede the traflic across the crossing. 1

For the purpose of raising the signal from its danger or lowered position to itsraised or safety position, I provide a cable 19 which extends downward from the extension 13,

passes .undera pulley 20, and extends along the right hand side of the track beneath suitable blocks or rollers 21 and preferably through a pipe 22, especially at the crossing itself, this wire cable being connected to a horizontally shiftable arm 23 mounted upon a support 24; disposed beside the track and any suitable distance from the support .10;

beneath the rails a, or may be disposed in suitable tubes, and extends over a pulley 27 and is then attached to an actuating arm 28 pivotally mounted upon a support 29, this arm 28 corresponding to the arm 23. These arms 23 and 28 are-beveled at their extremities. l

Assuming that the semaphore 1 1 is lowered, then when the arm 23is struckby a train passing towardtheleft in Fig. 6, the

arm 23 will be rotated to draw the rear end 13 of the danger signal downward until its extremity 18 is engaged and held by the latch bolt 15. A train coming from the left the same manner.

. upon the approach of a train in either direction, I provide some 300 yards or more from the support 10 a post 30, upon which is mounted a horizontally swinging arm 31 urged to a normal position by a spring 32,

and connected to this arm is a wire cable 33 which passes through suitable blocks 3 1 disposed at intervals along the track and beneath the block 35 to the lower end of the latch bolt 15 with which it engages. Also attached to the lower end of this latch bolt 15 is a cable 36 extending transversely across the trackbeneath the rails a and preferably disposed within a tube, which cable passes over a pulley 37 and then extends in the left hand direction along the track, passing beneath suitable guide pulleys and is eventually attached to an arm 38, precisely like the arm 31, mounted upon a post 39 and urged to a normal position by a spring 40.

Now upon the approach of a train from the right in Fig. 1, the train, by means of the attachment mounted thereon as will be hereafter described, will strike the arm 31 and rotate this arm, which will cause the cable 33 to be pulled, thus retracting the spring latch 15 from its engagement with the extremity 18 of the signal or semaphore, the arm allowing the semaphore to drop to its danger position by the action of gravity. The same thing occurs on the approach of a train from the left in Fig. 1, when the attachment on the train will strike the arm 38, thus retracting the cable 36 and the latch bolt 15, permitting the semaphore to drop. It will be seen that this semaphore will drop when the train is still some 300 yards or more from the crossing. When the locomotive has passed the crossing, it will strike the arm 23 or the arm 28, depending upon the direction in which the train is moving, and this will again raise the danger signal or semaphore 11 to its safety position and latch it in this safety position by the latch 15. It will be understood, of course, that the several blocks, pulleys or rollers 37, 34: and 21, over which the several cables pass, are to be blocks or pulleys such as are used in ma rine railways and having relatively deep grooves in'which the cables operate. These cables will be preferably wire cables and will have a diameter of about it. These cables are relatively light, while withstanding a very great strain. not wish to be limited to the particular manner in which the cables are mounted, as the cables might pass between two pulleys or rollers and the cables might pass through tubes along their entire extent.

. In order to actuate the trip arms 31 and 38 and the lifting arms 23 and 28, I mount upon the pilot of the locomotive or in any other suitable position, thecross head 41 and hinge to this cross head a tripping member Of course, I do' 42, which, when in position, projects laterally beyond the cross head 41 and into position to engage the several arms 23, 28, 31 and 38. This trip member 42 is hinged, as at 43, so as to permit a train to back without affecting the trip arms.

The operation of this mechanism will be obvious from what has gone before. As a train approaches the crossing and arrives within, say three or four hundred yards of the crossing, the bolt or latch 15 will be r tracted, causing the signal 11 to fall to its danger position. When the train has passed the crossing any desired distance, it will automatically cause the lifting of the danger signal or semaphore to its safety position. The device willoperate with a single track road with trains coming in either direction, and it also may be operated obviously for a double track road without departing from the spirit of the invention. This signaling mechanism is so designed that it may be used at crossings in deep cuts and like places where it is impossible to observe the approach of a train until the train has reached the crossing itself. The use of this mecha' nism will obviate the many accidents which occur at railroad crossings where no fiagman is on duty and where vehicles approaching the crossing pass onto the tracks the very time that a train is approaching.

While I have illustrated certain details of construction and arrangement ofparts, yet I do not wish to be limited thereto, as it is obvious that many changes might be made in these details of construction without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim 1. A crossing signal of the character de-- scribed comprising a support, a semaphore pivotally mounted on'the support, a latch adapted to engage the semaphore and hold it in a raised or safety position, the semaphore dropping by its own weight to a .danger position when the latch is released, train actuated means for releasing the latch comprising a supporting member, an arm mounted thereon designed to be struck by a train, a cable connecting the arm to the latch, train actuated means for raising the arm to a safety position after it has fallen to a danger position comprising a supporting member disposed beyond the crossing, an oscillatable arm adapted to be struck by a train, and a cable operatively connecting the oscillatably mounted arm to the semaphore.

2. A crossing signal comprising a vertical support disposed beside the track and adjacent thecrossing and having an extension beyond the pivotal axis of the semaphore, a vertical guide in which said extension moves, a spring actuated latch disposed at the lower end of the vertical guide and adapted to engage the rear end of the semaphore arm when the arm is raised to hold it in its raised position, train actuated latch tripping devices disposed at a distance along the track in opposite directions from the crossing, one of said devices being disposed on one side of the track and the other on the other side, each of said devices compris-v inga support, a train actuated arm mounted upon said support for movement in a horizontal plane, a spring urging the arm to a normal position, a cable operatively connected to the arm and extending along the track and operatively connected to the latch bolt, there being actuating means for said cable disposed along the side of the track, train actuated means for raising the signal to its safety position disposed on each side of the crossing, each of said means comprising a supporting member, an arm horizontally oscillatable on the supporting memher, and a cable connected to said arm and operatively connected to the extension of the semaphore, there being guiding means over which said cable passes.

3. The combination with a railway track, of a crosslng signal comprising a vertical support, a semaphore arm pivoted in said support, a spring actuated latch normally I holding said arm in a raised or safety position, latch tripping devices mounted at a distance from the semaphore on each side of the track and each comprising a horieach of said arms to said semaphore arm,

there being guides over which said cable passes, means carried by the train for actuating said arms comprising a cross bar mounted upon the train, an actuating member hingedly mounted on said cross bar and normally projected beyond the cross bar to engage. said arms, said actuating member being hingedly mounted on the cross bar to i be held rigidly from rotation in one direc tion but permitting rotation in the other direction when the train is backing and said actuating member strikes-any one of said arms.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

GEORGE L. SAWYER.

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